Kiwis have flying start on Day One of Sanyo Cup

The Kiwis came out flying on the first day of the 2015 Sanyo
Bussan International Lifesaving Cup over in Japan yesterday, taking
9 golds, 8 silver and two bronze.

Mairangi Bay's Danielle McKenzie was quick to claim her first of
three golds in the Women's board race with fellow team member,
Piha's Hannah Williams coming in fifth.

Omanu's Max Beattie also claimed gold in the men's board race
with Midway's Cory Taylor close behind in second.

McKenzie then took her second gold, winning the women's iron
with Beattie also claiming the men's title.

Her third gold came in the women's board rescue with team mate
Carina Doyle (St Clair). Over in the men's board rescue, Beattie
and Taylor claimed silver.

Doyle added another silver to the medal tally in the women's
surf race with Williams not too far behind in fifth. In the men's
event, Taylor took silver with Papamoa's Ben Johnston claiming the
team's first bronze.

Both the women's and men's teams took silver in the taplin and
tube rescues.

The medals didn't end on the water. Over on the beach, the team
were topping up the tally with the Kiwis claiming gold in both the
men's and women's beach relay events.

Fitzroy's Zoe Hobbs and Mairangi Bay's Jake Hurley both won
their beach sprint events while Hurley added a bronze in the men's
beach flags and Hobbs took fourth in the women's event.

That left the New Zealand team in first place on the points
table after day one with 328 points. Australia is close behind in
second on 325 followed by Japan Open (270), Japan Youth (239),
Canada (206), Hong Kong (159) and Chinese Taipei (51).

Assistant team manager Steve Vaughan says it was a fantastic
first day of competition and he is incredibly proud of the team.
"Now it's time to back up those great performances on Day Two," he
says.